A Light in the Darkness
by starlitnocturne
Summary: Set during the s4 "The Darkest Hour" episodes, Camelot battles the appearance of the doracha. Their presence strikes fear into the hearts of everyone, even Raieya. Yet as the darkness gathers she comes to a realization. A glimmer of hope for Gwaine in the midst of his most dangerous quest as a knight yet. Gwaine/OC (Raieya) (See profile for full story list in order)
1. The Gathering Dark

Darkness covered Camelot, the lights from the torches casting long shadows on the ground. Several people walked along the paths around the castle, going about their usual business. It was a peaceful evening compared to the Samhain festivities of the night before. Taking advantage of a rare night off, Raieya angled along the path, enjoying the night air. Normally she would be inside the banquet hall providing music for dinner and evening entertainment. It was a nice change to get away from all the noise and excitement of the castle. Raieya had been walking for some time and was near the castle door when the air suddenly turned cold. The flames of the nearest torches went out and she heard the people standing near them gasp. A horrible scream rent through the air followed by the appearance of a skeletal yet disembodied figure. It swooped over the people, causing them to fall instantly to the ground. Then it turned toward her. Raieya screamed as loud as she could, praying for help while bolting through the door. The guards rushed past her but Raieya did not stop. Petrified, she kept up her breakneck pace, scrambling through the halls of the castle, vaguely aware of the loud clang of the warning bells. At last she reached the hallway with the eagle standard outside the door. Frantically she pushed it open, praying that Gwaine would be back from his patrol. Raieya slipped in the room as fast as she could, immediately slamming and bolting the door closed.

"Raieya!" Gwaine exclaimed, as she bounded into his arms. "What the hell happened?!"

Even though he was still dressed in his chain mail, Raieya simply buried her face in his shoulder in response. Her body trembled and shook with sobs. Gwaine held her tightly to him, gently stroking her hair.

"Raieya," he said gently. "You're safe now. I need you to tell me what happened."

He felt her shake her head slightly in response, her body still shaking uncontrollably.

"Are you hurt?"

Again he felt her shake her head.

"Did you see something?"

Raieya clung more tightly to him in response.

"Raieya, in the village there were, well I'm not sure what exactly. Shadows? Spirits? Whatever they are, they took out the entire place. Have these things reached the citadel?"

Raieya began to shake and cry even more.

"Raieyana," Gwaine soothed. "Shhh. We did learn that fire repels them. I'm sure Arthur is learning how to destroy them now. You're safe with me."

Raieya did not seem to hear him as she continued to cling desperately to him.

"Raieya," he said. "Raieyana."

Still nothing.

Gwaine pulled back from her grip as much as she would allow him and carefully cupped her chin in his hands, turning her to face him. A soft cry escaped her lips as she looked up at him. He wiped at her tears, noting the lack of color and life that was normally in her cheeks. His hazel eyes searched her blue ones, as he caressed her cheeks with his fingers. After a moment he leaned forward, his lips meeting hers. He paused for a brief second, then deepened the kiss, willing her to return to him. At last she responded to his touch, her shivers ceasing. As they continued to kiss, Raieya felt the warmth return to her body. When their lips eventually parted she had calmed down almost completely.

"Better?" Gwaine asked.

Raieya nodded slightly.

"You never can resist me," observed Gwaine, looking rather pleased with himself.

Raieya rolled her eyes at him and smacked his chest. "This is not the time for that!"

"A lot of fun you are on your night off," he teased. "I ought to have them put you back to work."

"No!" said Raieya quickly. "I'm not leaving your side."

"Raieyana," said Gwaine, drawing out her name. "I thought you told me once you weren't afraid of anything."

Raieya frowned. "This is different. The world grows cold and hopeless with no warning. I can't even see them coming. How can I fight that on my own?"

"So you need me to protect you," finished Gwaine.

"I think we're both safer together," said Raieya.

"If that's how you want to put it," Gwaine replied with a shrug. "Since you're here why don't you help me get this armor off?"

Raieya nodded and reached up to remove his coif, while he took off his belt. They placed their items on the table, then Raieya helped him slide out of his chain mail. Gwaine slipped off his thickly padded coat and tossed it on the table alongside the rest of his armor. Now he was clad simply in his linen shirt and breeches.

"I think we could both do with a warm mug of mead," he said with a grin.

A fire blazed in his fireplace and they huddled together by the light. Gwaine set a bottle just inside the flames, waiting for it to warm up. He rose from the floor after a moment, retrieving two mugs, a glove, and a blanket. Raieya still looked cold, so he wrapped the blanket around her, settling back down beside her and holding her close. Raieya buried her face in his chest, still a bit shaken from her encounter. Still holding Raieya, he leaned forward and retrieved the bottle with a pair of tongs from the hearth.

"Would you like that drink now?" he asked.

Raieya nodded, sitting up.

Gwaine pulled on the glove and poured some of the mead into each of the mugs.

She accepted the mug he handed her and settled back down against him, taking a sip of the mead. The familiar sweet taste filled her mouth and the liquid warmed her body.

"What happened in the village?" asked Raieya.

"It was completely devastated," Gwaine answered, taking a drink. "When we got there it was deathly quiet. Carts overturned, no one about. We split up to look around. Leon and Elyan found some of the townspeople. They looked as if they'd somehow been frozen to death."

"How?" asked Raieya softly.

"The spirits I assume," said Gwaine. "As night fell we started to hear screams. Merlin and Lancelot saw one of them. Lancelot is the one who discovered that fire repels them. After that we hurried back here."

"I'm glad you all made it back safe," said Raieya, tightening her hold on him.

Gwaine hugged her to him, dropping a kiss into her hair.

Raieya sighed, fighting back a yawn. It was extremely late and she was tired. Yet she was a bit afraid to leave the light of the fire. What if they could attack even inside?

"You sound ready for bed," observed Gwaine.

"What about the light?" asked Raieya. "What if they attack us if the fire goes out?"

Gwaine glanced at the candles burning on the table.

"It's nearly dawn, Rai," he said. "The sun will be up soon. But we can throw on an extra log and keep the fire going."

"Alright," she agreed, somewhat reluctantly.

Gwaine yawned and stretched before rising from the floor. He extended a hand and pulled Raieya up with him. Keeping the blanket wrapped around her she gathered their mugs and bottle, placing the bottle back in the cabinet and the mugs on the table. Servants would gather them in the morning to wash. Gwaine tossed another log onto the fire before removing his shirt and boots. Raieya returned the blanket to the bed, stripping down to her shift. She gathered Gwaine's discarded shirt and placed it in the wash basket before climbing up in to bed with him.

"Get some sleep, Rai," said Gwaine, holding her close to him. "I won't let anything harm you."

"Night," she replied, snuggling closer to him.

As she closed her eyes, she thought about those three words that almost escaped her lips lately. I love you. Raieya felt she was almost ready to say it but the timing hadn't been right just yet. Soon she would tell him. Over the past several months she had slowly come to accept her feelings and realize just how important Gwaine was to her. He had remained faithful to her, still patiently waiting on her to accept her feelings. Most nights she spent with him and she realized she missed him when he was away. He was always there for her and tonight was no exception. She felt safe with him and soon her thoughts quieted and she drifted off to sleep in his arms.


	2. Under Attack

Raieya woke the next morning still safely enfolded in Gwaine's arms. The morning bells chimed and life seemed to have returned to normal. Gwaine kissed her forehead and told her good morning before slipping out of bed to prepare for the day. Raieya decided to get out of bed and dressed as well. She and Gwaine enjoyed a quick breakfast together before heading off to their duties.

"Are you sure it's safe during the day?" Raieya asked just as they were both about to leave.

"I'm certain," he answered. "Nothing bothered us till night fell. Everything seems to be fine now."

Raieya nodded, though she still wasn't completely reassured. "And you'll find me tonight?"

"I promise," said Gwaine firmly.

He pulled her into an embrace then, meeting her lips in a tender kiss.

"We'll be fine," he said gently. "I won't let anything happen to you."

"Nor I to you," agreed Raieya.

"See?" said Gwaine. "Even though we are no longer on the road we can still look out for each other."

Raieya smiled, opening the door.

"I guess we never really stopped being partners," she admitted.

She looked up at Gwaine as they stepped into the hallways, the words almost tumbling out.

"Well," she began. "I'll see you just before nightfall."

Gwaine nodded and they went their separate ways.

* * *

Raieya's first task that day was to check in with Gaius and see if he needed any herbs collected. When she reached his chambers she was shocked to see a couple of bodies on the examining table, covered in sheets.

"Is this from last night?" asked Raieya.

"They are," Gaius answered gravely. "We suffered about fifty dead."

Raieya took a deep breath, remembering the previous night and how close she had been to becoming one of those bodies under the cloth.

"What are those things, Gaius?" she asked.

"They are the doracha," he answered. "Spirits of the dead."

"Where did they come from? Why are they here?"

"There is a veil between this world and that of the dead," began Gaius. "They say at midnight on Samhain that veil is at it's weakest. Someone has opened it."

"Why would anyone want to do that?"

"I can't say for certain," Gaius answered. "I believe it's most likely the work of Morgana."

"Can they be stopped?"

"I am not sure," said Gaius. "For now all we can do is try to fight them off."

"Gwaine says fire repels them," said Raieya.

Gaius nodded. "They keep to the darkness."

"What about the people they've attacked?" asked Raieya. "Is there any hope for them?"

"For the most part, no," Gaius answered. "But for those who are lucky enough to escape, hawthorn helps. That is what I need you to collect for me today."

Raieya nodded, retrieving a basket from his work table.

"Should be easy enough to find with the berries ripe now," she said. "I won't be long."

* * *

Walking outside of the castle, Raieya noticed the large crowd of people entering the city gates. Their villages must have been attacked also. They looked scared and flocked to the citadel for protection. Raieya hoped that more people would mean more light and a better chance of survival. Feeling grim, she headed off into the woods for the hawthorn.

* * *

Later that evening she decided to help Gwaine guard the outside entrance closest to Gaius's chambers. They needed to keep that area safe for any victims being brought in for treatment. Raieya held tightly to her torch, taking a deep breath to steady herself.

"Suns going down," she said, noticing it begin to sink under the horizon.

"We'll be alright," Gwaine replied. "We've got the torches."

"The doors just there if they get put out," added Raieya. "We can go in and relight them."

The words had barely left her mouth when they began to hear the screams and cries in the distance. The warning bells began to ring and the citadel was on high alert. Raieya's eyes widened gripping her torch tightly.  
Suddenly one of the figures appeared before Gwaine. He jumped forward, swinging his torch at it. The flames dissipated it and the thing was gone. Then just as suddenly another one was coming towards Raieya. Instinct taking over this time, she flashed her torch protectively in front of her. As soon as the thing was gone she could already begin to see people heading for the door.

"Rai!" called Gwaine. "We have to help them get through."

Raieya raced forward with Gwaine, brandishing her torch as more of the doracha swarmed on the group. Warding them off, they ushered the people through the door. They worked in a similar manner for awhile until several doracha attacked them at once.

"To me!" Gwaine yelled, motioning for Raieya to join him.

Immediately she was at his side, turning so they were back to back. Gwaine swung out, taking a few steps to the right and Raieya mirrored his actions. The doracha drove toward the pair, only to be met with torches from either side. The force off the attack cost them though, as now Raieya was without a light.

"Gwaine!" she exclaimed. "We have to get in!"

Turning abruptly he saw her burnt out torch and hurried toward the door. Raieya yanked the handle, another spirit flying toward them. Gwaine drove it off, ducking inside after Raieya.  
Inside the castle was chaos as well as people raced about with torches, blankets, and the occasional body.

"Raieya," said Gwaine. "Help Gaius. Dawn is not far off."

"No!" she exclaimed. "I will not leave you."

Hesitating for a just a moment, Gwaine decided it was not worth it to argue with her.

"Alright," he agreed. "We'll both check on him."

They spent the remainder of the night in the great hall, helping lay out the dead, rushing hawthorn to those who might be saved, and driving off the few doracha that made it inside.  
It was a long, horrible night. Though Raieya was exhausted once they were finally done, she still lay awake in Gwaine's arms for a good while before finally drifting off to sleep.


	3. Leave Taking

Raieya sat by the window of her room, carefully polishing her lute. She hadn't been able to play much since the appearance of the doracha so she settled on cleaning her instruments instead. She was nearly finished when her door suddenly burst open.

"There you are," said Gwaine.

Setting her lute aside, Raieya stood to greet him. He pulled her into a kiss before taking a step back from her. Raieya's blue eyes met his and she could tell something was up.

"Raieya," he said. "Arthur has decided to try to repair the tear between the worlds. He has ordered us to be ready to ride within the hour."

"What?" said Raieya, stunned. "How?"

Gwaine shook his head. "I don't know. He must have a plan."

"And you must go?"

Gwaine nodded. "Lancelot, Leon, Elyan, and Percival as well."

"He'll take all of you?" said Raieya. "Then who will defend the citadel?"

"We are not the only knights," Gwaine replied, with a short laugh.

"The best are leaving with him!" countered Raieya.

"I'm sure he wouldn't take us if he wasn't also confident in those he leaves behind," said Gwaine.

"I don't want to be left behind with any other knight," said Raieya. "You said we would fight them together."

"I would be glad to have you with me," Gwaine replied. "But you know Arthur would not allow it."

"Then I won't ask permission," argued Raieya.

"No, Rai," said Gwaine. "You must stay here."

"I want to be with you," Raieya protested.

Somewhat surprised by her words, Gwaine studied her expression. Despite her trying to mask it, he could see the fear and sadness in her eyes.

"Raieya," he said softly. "If only there was a way for us to stay together, you know I would do it. I know you might not understand but I have a duty now to Camelot. I cannot ignore that."

"I understand," Raieya answered. "What you all do on this quest may save us all. It doesn't make it any easier to say goodbye. To have to remain here and wait for your return."

"I know it's hard for you to stay behind," said Gwaine, smiling sadly at her. "But you will be kept busy with your duties to the king and Gaius. We will be back before you know it. And there will be no more spirits."

"What if something goes wrong?"

"Hey, now," said Gwaine with a smile. "It's the best knights going remember? We will find a way to rid us all of the doracha."

"I don't want to be alone, Gwaine," Raieya admitted, wrapping her arms around him.

"Why don't you stay with Gwen?" Gwaine replied. "She's not as good as me, I know, but you wouldn't be alone."

"Perhaps," relented Raieya. "I want _you,_ though."

"You will have me again," promised Gwaine.

He smiled gently at her and drew her into a kiss. After a long moment they parted.

"I must go see that my horse has been made ready," said Gwaine, breaking the silence that hung between them. "Come and see me off?"

Raieya nodded and numbly followed him out of her room. They walked in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. When they reached the stables one of the stable hands presented Gwaine's horse to him. Taking the reins from the man, Gwaine led them to the outside corner of the stable where it was a little bit more private. Raieya stepped back from Gwaine and looked him over. She couldn't help but laugh as she reached up to adjust his cloak.

"Can you never put this on straight?" she teased.

"It just gets messed up anyway," laughed Gwaine.

"Yes but you have to look good when you're riding out," countered Raieya.

"I look good riding out regardless," smirked Gwaine.

"Oh, Gwaine," she said exasperated.

She stepped back and looked him over once more, as if to memorize the sight of him. If something were to happen to him, she would remember this moment. He looked quite good in his full armor (she had always thought so.). And he looked at her as if she was the most important thing in the world to him.

"Gwaine, I know you," she said at last. "Listen to the others and think before you act. Be careful."

"I'll be careful," he replied. "Can't promise you the other two."

"Gwaine," warned Raieya.

She tried to smile but she could feel tears gathering in her eyes, despite herself.

"Raieya," said Gwaine softly, gathering her into an embrace. "None of that. No tears. This is not the end. If it is, save them for when I'm dead, yeah?"

"Don't even say it," whispered Raieya. "I couldn't bear it if anything happened to you."

"Oh, you'd find somebody else eventually."

"No," said Raieya, tightening her arms around him. "Gwaine-"

She paused, taking a breath and fighting to keep her voice steady. "Gwaine, I- _I love you._"

Gwaine stepped back, his hazel eyes searching hers for a long moment, then he bent and captured her lips in a kiss that said more than he could ever express in words. When he finally pulled away, he knew she could see the truth of his own heart in his eyes.

"Come home to me," breathed Raieya, their foreheads resting together.

"I'll always return to you, my love," he promised.

They held each other for a long moment, until the sound of someone approaching with a horse interrupted them.

"Raieya," said Leon, nodding to her. "Gwaine, it is time."

Gwaine kissed her once more before pulling away.

"Come on Raieya," he said as he grabbed his horse's reins.

Raieya walked alongside him and Leon until they joined Percival and Elyan at the gate. The knights led their horses through the street and to the courtyard where they would make their departure.

Without a word, Raieya and Gwaine embraced and shared one final kiss before Gwaine mounted his horse. Raieya reached up to him, tears again gathering in the corners of her eyes. He took her hand and gave her an encouraging squeeze.

"You are strong, Raieya," he said. "Be brave. I will return to you, I promise."

Raieya nodded, "See that you keep your promise."

At that moment, Raieya noticed Prince Arthur riding into the courtyard.  
Gwaine leaned over in the saddle and kissed her hand before letting her go.

"I'll see you again, Rai, soon," he said, before turning his horse to follow Arthur.

Raieya stepped back and watched them go. She remained in the courtyard until she could no longer see their outline on the horizon. At last, with a heavy heart she slowly turned and headed back to the castle.


End file.
